Cowboys Break: Elite Status?

season seventeen, episode number thirty. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break, live from the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star. Lots of things we gotta get into today. We're gonna have Bucky Brooks joining us here soon to talk a little bit about the Carolina office versus the Dallas defense. But before we get to that, there are a lot of topics that we need to talk about specific to guys that have been out, whether whether it be injury or COVID and gig some updates on where

they are. Let's start first with the fact that there were no injuries in this game. That's always a bright spot for any team in the NFL come out of a game with no new injuries. But there were three guys that we mentioned yesterday on our show. I think we talked about him yesterday. But guys that have been on IR, and I know we had talked about it about the possibility that this would be the week when they could be taken off of IR. This was the

earliest that they could be. Tell me what's the status. I guess at this point with Neville Gallimore, Kelvin, Joseph, and Sean mccun all ways away. That was Mike McCarthy's wording yesterday. All of those guys are still probably multiple weeks with an s away from being ready, so they're eligible, but maybe anywhere between. I would say anywhere between two and four, depending on who you're talking about. The bye weeks sitting there. So all three they they got three

games to go. I mean, I don't know how they're gonna if they're gonna handle it this way that you know, they won't say this, they won't admit it, they'll say it's a case by case. But I'm sure that they've got three games to go, and then they got to buy a week. It makes more sense to just bring a lot of those guys back. So you don't want

to start there. I probably won't start their window or their twenty one day window, and where they can start practicing again, I would say until like maybe next week or the week after. That's interesting because I actually thought, at the worst case scenario they at least start the twenty one this week, but it sounds like they're not even ready to really practice at this point. So yeah, I mean it's and it's it's always a guest a man.

But if you remember when especially Neville, and I think he's besides, well, Calvin's probably the one people care the most about which Calvin suffered his injury the latest in camp. I mean he did that during the final preseason game groin injury. Donovan Wilson probably gonna miss another game with his groin injury, So you think about I mean that is it's a substantial injury, especially for a guy that runs as much as a dB, So I think that tracks.

And then Neville, they said at the time, you're probably talking about eight weeks. Now that was mid August what fourteenth, probably that they played that game in Arizona, so it's been about five or six So again you're talking two or three more weeks before before that's probably realistic. Catching up on a couple of guys that missed last week's game. Dorance Armstrong, Carlos Watkins. You already mentioned Donovan Wilson. Yes, Um, good question. I would think Carlos Watkins maybe more of

a more of a shot. Um. But just because we're talking like, I think it's a sprain knee. Um. He's done some work out here, even on the side field when they were practicing, and it looks like he's you know, working okay with with the trainers. The injury is a high ankle spraining on Doran. I was gonna like, nothing about Dorrance's injury makes me think that it's a one week thing, right, But then you're saying like it's a multiple. Yeah, he's got I'll say this. I remember when I when

I talked to Stephen Jones last week. I guess it was before this game. He didn't he didn't want to rule him out just yet. He didn't think they would be there. So that being said, you know, it may be something that that that you know, Dorans could kind

of get back into it. I mean, it's so weird because it's like if you're just inactive, like just a straight inactive, it seems like that doesn't happen anymore, because it's like if if it's if it's more, if it's even a hint at an IR for more like three weeks, let's put your it gets you the roster spots. I was about to say that, like, if doran's his injury because an ankle sprain, you think, I mean, Sean McEwan sprained his ankle and he's not coming back anytime soon.

And again that's so an ankle sprain can be as much as six weeks. So if it was severe, you'd think they'd just put him on IR because of the rules. Um, I still think i'd bet against him being ready for this game, but maybe he can be back for the Giants game. Yeah, So what I gotta think about it is, basically,

you got a three week period. If it's an injury one three weeks, you're better off putting them one R. So I just assume it's a much lesser injury if they're not put on IR these that's a safe assumption, I think. Okay, let's talk about the COVID. He got keanum Neil. They're both still out, they're still on still on the COVID. Protocol. No changes, nobody's been added to it. We'll just have to wait and see. Um Neil went

on the COVID protocol. It was like Wednesday, Yeah, it was, but he didn't test positive until later, right, right, Yeah, he hadn't tested positive I think until like maybe the Friday or something. Yeah, he did. Yeah, you're right. There was a period where he was just a close contact, so that might be what's prolonging that. So we'll just have to keep an eye on it and other things. Yeah. Well that just because he's got different rules than other people, right, Yeah,

which is due. I say he did, so he does, um, all right, so keep an eye on it. It's it's yep, Okay, it's only Wednesday. It's only Wednesday, so it feels it feels later than I mean, I don't know what it feels like anymore. I just want to get I can't wait Sunday to Sunday. They don't play on a non Sunday again until Thanksgiving, and I'm jacked about it. But we got three weeks to go here that it should be somewhat normal. Yeah, and then you got a bye week.

Would your bye week? Okay? Fine? Still still normal? Yeah, who's mad about that. No one's about saying, like the schedule, regular schedule, where we know what time we're gonna be able to do things. I think the schedule is gonna

be relatively the same, hopefully until Thanksgiving. That's David Moore started the press conference today by saying, it's like, if you count preseason, y'all have played eight games and this will only be the second one that's been played on a Sunday, just like, oh my god, or maybe the third. The Jaguars game was a Sunday. But I'm just like, jas, let's get into some routine here. I know it's kind of hard. All right, here's what's gonna do. We're gonna

take an early break. We got Bucky Brooks coming up to join us. He'll get give us some insight on the Carolina offense versus the Dallas defense, particularly what they're gonna do without their star player, Christian McAffrey. We'll talk about that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Before there was a draft, you could size up a cowboy by three simple factors. The crease it his head, the bend of his brim, and

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Download the official app of the Dallas Cowboys to get access to in market game broadcast, mobile tickets, daily podcast, live pregame and postgame shows, game updates, and more. Download in the app or Google Plays stores Cowboys App. Make sure you do that. Welcome back to the second segment. Of the Regulatus WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star and Yeah, real quick, I wanted to mention that on the app.

If you haven't downloaded that, then get it. But also make sure if you have downloaded that and haven't gotten the Connected TV app, make sure you do that as well. It is a great app to be able to have on your television, especially on the weekends for our pre and postgame shows. It's an opportunity for you to be able to watch that from your couch as you're before

and after the Cowboys games. It's the only place you're gonna get real, live in the moment pregame and postgame analysis of the Dallas Cowboys about everything happens in the game, before and after. So make sure you check that out. You can get that on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. All right, we're joined right now by our guest, mister Bucky Brooks from NFL Network. Bucky, Welcome to the show man. Hey, thanks, Mammiel. Let's talk a little bit about this Carolina offense. I

want to start with Sam Darneld. He's having as far as statistically, he's having probably the best season of his career right now. He is He's at two hundred and thirty two yards per game. That was what he up started, That's what he did in two nineteen. Now it's two hundred and ninety six yards per game. An interception percentage that was at two point nine percent back in twenty nineteen, now at twenty one. I'm sorry, point nine percent in twenty one. He is just playing much better than what

he was doing before with the Jets. What's the biggest reason for his improvement this year relative to what he's done pretty much drout his career. One is advocates. They want to see him do well, and so the Panther has made a concerted effort to make sure that they've

done everything to give him an opportunity seed. The opensive coordinator, Joe Brady has taken things that work really well with Sam and put those things into play, whether it's movement passes, bootleg passes, some RPO game, some design quarterback runs, or read options. They have taken things that maybe even had a collegiate slant to it and given it to Sam so he can flourish. He also is around a better team. This is a team that has better weapons on the

outside than he had in New York. And so when you have Robbie Anderson and DJ Moore that can catch passes, you have Christian McCaffrey who's in the backfield command and attention. He has not had to necessarily be the primary playmaker. He's just been able to play kind of point guard, just passes to the open guy and allow those guys do work. And he still is victimized by the bonehead decision, but overall he's playing really good football because everything around

him is much better than it was at his previous location. Well, he's gonna play point guard. Who's who's he going to be passing the ball too? I mean, other than I know Dj Moore. But with Christian McCaffrey out, who's the guys he's gonna be leaning on this week? I mean they look they're talented group and they're trying to figure out a way to kind of make it work without Christian McCaffrey. But Dj Moore has been fine. Robbie Anderson

has been a big time playmaker. The occasionally gets some contributions from Ian Thomas and Tommy Trumble, but it's really a collective and collaborative effort. A lot of what they've been able to do is really take advantage of the defense and the defense is over aggressive. You see him come out the back door with the movement passes. Remember

he has two three hundred yard games. And so even though I would say that maybe the Panthers haven't really tested him or they haven't played anybody, I mean they were pretty good team and they look good on offense, and he's showed just playing well as a result. Okay, Bucky, obviously I have to take an opportunity to plug the twenty nineteen LSU football team, Like why would I not

do that? But I think it. I think it pertains to this though, because Joe Brady was the offensive coordinator for that team, and a super underrated part of that offense was Clyde Edwards Hilaire being able to do a little bit of everything. I mean he was. He was great and pass pro, he could run the ball, and he just dropped out of the backfield all the time and presented an easy target if Joe Burrow didn't have anybody. That obviously describes Christian McCaffrey very very well. He's got

sixteen catches through two games in a quarter. I guess my question is is a versatile running back is important to Joe Brady and the pros as it was in college. And can Cuba Hubbard do that as well or do they kind of have to reinvent this thing. I don't know if they have to reinvent it, but I mean she will Holbbly get first crack at it, and so they'll give him every opportunity to test the rocky. He'll catch it, he'll run it. He's a big play player. He played in the Big two have at Olfaoma State,

and so he has some ability. Matt Rul knows him. Will haven't played against him, and he said, like those memories kinda one of the reason why they made it a point to get him. Ross Freeman is backing him up. Ross Freeman is a guy that played a dinner for a few years but it never really popped for him. But he's a big time running back the Oregon. He can catch the ball out of the backfield as well. So I don't think they have to necessarily change their offense.

They just had to change the distribution. Where does the ball go? So those twenty to twenty five touches that used to go to Christian McCaffrey how do we divvy up that pivot so that we can keep the team balanced, but everybody's happy not getting too much too soon. DJ Moore leads this team in receptions at twenty two and had also leads him receiving yards two hundred and eighty five. I assume he is their biggest weapon outside of McCaffrey, and obviously will need to be that with McCaffrey out.

If you're the Cowboys defensive coordinator, how do you go about trying to defend Dj Moore knowing that he is their biggest weapon? I mean, he is their biggest weapon, and a lot of it depends on what do you feel like about Robbie Anderson? Because Robbie Anderson is a guy that can really take the time off and make big things happen. So what do you want to concede? Are you willing to concede some chain moving throws? And do you want to completely take the big play element

out of the mix? I believe with Dj Moore, maybe you mix in some double coverage in practice, But love man, he's a good player, but he's not quite keenan Allen level and some of the other guys that they faced, so I think you kind of play it straight initially, and then if it's one of those situations where he's beginning to have his way, then you kind of interject and you go back and play some of your normal stuff. You know, the last two weeks the Cowboys have benefited.

Of course they've had the injuries and stuff happening on their own defensive end, but the last two weeks they've benefited from a starting alignment on the opposing team being out the Chargers and the Eagles. Where does the tackle situation that look like for the Panthers and do you think the Cowboys can they'll be an advantage for them? Again, Well,

I mean Cameron Irvan is someone that you want to attack. Like, he's definitely vulnerable ahead left tackle, so see his struggles and knowing about that, like that's where the game plan has to start. Um, can you attack Sam Dna off his backside? Can you make him uncomfortable? Uh mapparatus as

centers another one that you can go at a little bit. Um. This isn't like an A level offensive line, and so there they are opportunities that are that are going to present himself clear and so I think you can attack him a few different a few different ways, but I'm starting at the left alcohol I'm working from there, obviously. I gotta if it makes sense, I gotta ask you about our draft guys, and I can't help. But notice you mentioned him briefly, but Carolina started this week out

by trading Dan Arnold for a cornerback. Is that just because they have that desperate of a need at corner without jac Horne? Or is Tommy Trimble? I mean, do you think that they have designs on how good he could be? Because I got I saw a little bit of the Houston game and he's a hell of an athletic player. Do you think maybe his role they have in mind that he's capable of having a larger role.

I guess it's a couple of different things. I think one day, do like Tommy Trumbo, they want to give him an opportunity to get on the field and make things happen. But there's a fascination in the building with C. J. Henderson, and so they wanted to be able to pick him. Was the first round pick. They got him for nothing, like,

it didn't really cost him anything. So they got another young, dynamic player, and if you look at the Panthers defense, and we'll talk about them tomorrow, but this defense is young, fast, athletic and so they can grow together. And so one thing and talking to mad Rule, they want to be as fast as they can on deaths out of the ball. So then you add C. J. Henderson with JA C.

Horn when he returns with Dante Jackson. I mean, now you have a four by one track team in the back end to go at the other fast guys they have in Brian Burns and Jack Thompson and Jeremy Chen. So it's part of yeah, we had a need, but no, we got a chance to upgrade our lineup, so let's

go upgraded. Yeah, it's amazing to me. And I don't know if you if you can get more color to this, but I just I can't even understand how in any situation a young cornerback that was drafted that high gets traded for a basically tight end a third round pick. I mean that just seems very lopsided to me. What am I missing on that? Well? I wish you're missing.

There are some things that was going on with C. J. Henderson down in Jacksonville where he had kind of honestly disappeared, But he disappeared for maybe a few days of a couple of weeks down there where he was trying to work out and sort through some things. And so the clock was always ticking on him down there in terms

of where he would fit. And whenever you get a new regime and a new head coach and the head coach didn't draft you, you were subject to be on the first plane out of town if things aren't going well. And so when the team starts out or in three they have a draft pick, Campbell, the amount of lost Bucky there for a second, Yeah, it's actually took that bread and get better. So it was just a thing

where Herbert comes in. He's not necessarily his guy. They have some outs that they drafted, so it's a chance for them to get better, so they take advantage of the opportunity. We're joined by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network. I did have one more question from you, particularly to the Dallas defense. Treyvon Trayvon Diggs has three interceptions in

three games, obviously playing really well for Dallas. How good is he from a national standpoint if you look at him relative to other cornerbacks around and good around the league. How good do you think he is? And here's the more important question, where does he still have room to grow? Did we lose him? Oh? He speaks less. I mean, that's how good he's been playing. You know what? You know, here's the thing. He'll probably come back on in a second. But I got an email from from Bucky. We've got

a five bucks as an article that he writes. Yeah, and he actually wrote about Trayvon Diggs. Okay, so give me what he said. He's an elite playmaker. He's I don't know if the Cowboys coaching staff expector Diggs to come in to be a premier cover corner in year two, but the young playmaker deserves consideration as one of the premier players at this position. Bam boom. I don't know how you argue with it after rank so this point in the season, I mean, he's back. But actually, hey, Bucky,

well go ahead. I was just saying, since we lost you for a second, I read your portion of five Bucks where you talked about the Trayvon Diggs being an elite playmaker and he's got the swagger of an all problem. I mean, look, man, it doesn't take long to figure out that he has it dialed in. And I don't know what the secret sauce is. I don't know if it's Joe Wind and Dan Quinn pumping him full of confidence.

But he's a much different player than he was his rookie year, and he had there was some injuries and some other stuff. But the guy that showed up and played on Monday Night is the one that I don't even imagine that the Cowboys thought that they will be getting someone who is long athletic, someone who can play off or travel, can do whatever it is that you want to do, and he can make plays. The fact that he's a former wide receiver that certainly helps because

he can catch the ball. But as this team is playing that seaball get ball defense, I mean, he is exploded. And I don't think people talked enough about the job that they did on Keenan Allen. Keenan Allen is an and one mixtape street ball legend. You cannot stay in front of him when he is at the line of scrimmage. And so the fact that he was able to take on the traveling I mean, is he like that was a big thing for Trayvon Digs to be able to do it then to come back and to jump a

route against DeVante Smiths, who he knows well. Jalen hurts to me, it seems like everything is coming together. The athleticism, the technique, the instincts, the ball skills, all that's coming together. And I don't know if there's a corner plane better than him at this point. And that's talking about Yarry Alexander and Jalen Ramsey and all those other guys. You can begin to put him in that conversation based on

the way that he has played. What do you think, real quick, what do you think his greatest area is right now for growth at this point. I just think with more experience comes expertise. I think the main thing the difference with those guys that I talk about is a level of consistency. Jelen Ramsey shows up every week

and you know what you're getting. What you would like to do if you're the Cowboys, is to know that each and every week Number seven is going to take care of business on the island, whether we're traveling, whether we're lining up playing right and left, that he just lines up and goes and plays. And so he has played so well that to me, I'm just like, man, what has unlicked? I know in the off season he worked with his brother. You can see those highlights and stuff.

But this dude is real. I mean, he is as real as they come. And for the Cowboys to get him in the second round when people talking about him being a first runner, he's playing like a top ten player regardless of what when he came into the league. All right, Bucky Man, we appreciate you join us. We'll be back tomorrow and have you talked a little bit more about this Carolina defense that you mentioned a little earlier, fast defense, how they match up with the Cowboys offense.

We're gonna take our final breaking come back. We'll also have some conversation here about this Dallas defense Dove when we come right back. This ist Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Hi, I'm Clint Tullison with you United Aggin Turf. Before you can park yourself in front of the game, park yourself in a John Dear and power through your chores. Our land Run package is a ten twenty five R twenty five horsepower tractor with a loader, rotary cutter and a box blade for two twenty nine a month and The

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new customer deal, I change my name to Jackie Flash. Okay, But the best smartphone deals at AT AT and T are for everyone, new and existing customers. That's huge. Then guess who's getting a deal. Is it Jackie Flash, Jackie Flash? It's not complicated. AT and T are best smartphone deals are for everyone. Restrictions apply. Is it att dot com for details? New Doctor Pepper zero sugar, You deserve it.

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there was a draft. You get sized up a cowboy by three simple factors, the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life through at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American, made with pride. Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is

proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest Jewitt Stetson dot com, slash Cowboys back to the Break, be the first to receive new offers, event info, and more. When you sign up to receive text messages from the team, text Cowboys to NFL d AL that's six three five three two five to receive ten percent off your next pro shop order. Message frequency may vary. Message and ricks may imply. I just wanted to I think you have to read it that fast.

If you say it like that, right, you have to say like message. You gotta read the fine print links this right, Yes, because you've been listening to a lot of that kind of stuff. That's just over the years you learned now from listening to radio and that kind of stuff. Commercials commers like that. Yeah, they're like, they say all this important stuff and they say, oh, by the way, it's going to cost twenty four twenty four nine nine a month. You sound very very professional, Nick,

very good. Is that shade sound very good? Mickey? I heard Mickey Spagnola use the term shade yesterday, and now Nick is happening. That's when we know that has already been retired. And oh, yeah, that's not cool anymore. We got to find you gotta find some new slang. All right, Welcome back, final segment of the break Life in s WBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, we're gonna talk a little bit about the defense. I wanted to do a little deep dive here on a couple of questions about

the defense. I'm gonna start first with the fact that this defense, if you look at it, at them and watch them play. I think I'll speak for myself my opinion of them, it is probably even higher than what the statistics say they are relative to the rest of the league. I think they're playing phenomenally, But when you look at the numbers there ranked twenty sixth in overall yards there ranked thirty first, and passing yards allowed. But the most important stat their number one in the league

and takeaways with eight. My question for you guys, are is our takeaways the biggest difference between two twenty one and two and twenty for this defense? And if so, is that sustainable? First of all, no, it's not the biggest difference. I mean that you cannot undersell how bad they were last year just in terms of the type of plays they gave up. I mean, they got gashed on the ground, they lost receivers in the passing amy

We just finished Week three. Think back to Week three last year when Tyler Lockett had one hundred and twenty yards and three touchdowns at halftime of that Seattle game, and would have had an extra touchdown if Trayvon Diggs hadn't punched the ball out at the goal line. I mean, the type of stuff that they were giving up. No,

it wasn't just that they weren't getting takeaways. They were just awful, and so that it's striking because I think I said this yesterday, they still seem to have a problem with chunk plays, right, Like I do, I don't care about yards per game. I think that's an outdated way of looking at how good or bad you are, because what happens in the context are you allowing touchdowns, are big plays going for six or are you stopping

it and then rallying that type of stuff. So there's a lot of reasons why they're a lot better than last year. I do still think they have a problem with chunk plays, though, right they also seem to have just a better standing of what they're doing. And I know that that one touchdown there in the game where they got lost and all that. But for the most part, Dan coinn I think has done an amazing job of two things. You know, you hear it all the time. Well,

they're going to simplify it for the players. Well, if they're simplifying it for the players, what do you think Joe Brady and offensive coordinators are also doing. If it's that simplified for these guys, He's got it. Dan Coin's done a great job of making it something that's very relatable to these guys. But still exotic in another way.

I mean think Micah Parsons is flying all over the place and lining up in different spots, which means other players are lining up in different spots, and it's working out so far. He's got He's getting these teams to kind of be confused. But yet the players for the most part, don't seem to be confused and what they're doing. So maybe that extra preseason game, which an extra week

of training camp and stuff like that. We all complained about it in our own ways, but I think it might have helped because they really needed to be on the field to learn those things. I'll change this question. Do you think that the most important thing that they're doing is taking them all away? Well, I just picked them up on my fantasy team. I'm just gonna tell you that, because because they get points, they get they get points. You and I did too, by the way. Yeah,

now they're not starting, but I got them. I picked them up, and I'm kind of holding You have a defense. What is this, amateur? No, we do two defenses. We do two of every position. Oh you play two defense? No play one defense? But you got it. You can have two of every position at least two of every position. That's a wasted bench spot for me. Well, but you

couldn't use it for something else. It has to be a defense, like you have to have two to have two kickers, you have to have four running backs receivers like. It also makes it to wear caught and at a defense every week based on what the matchup is, who they're playing. That's actually not a bad way to do

it anyway. Um. And also when you look at who the Cowboys are playing the next few games, yeah, I mean, I still I get it, Carolina is you know they're three and oh, but it wouldn't surprise me if they don't go out and play well and all that. And he got the Giants coming in, he got that rookie quarterbacks in New England and they haven't figured it out over there in New England yet either. So you know, the Cowboys have favorable matchups here and they're taking the

ball away and they're gonna get they're getting sacks. It doesn't really matter who it is to be, they're they're getting after them. So the answer your question is absolutely and that it's scary because turnovers turn to turnovers and takeaways scare me. Because there's there's no rhyme or reason

to it. Really. I mean, some teams are good at it, but like nobody, nobody really has an answer for why you're not getting them when you don't, And nobody has a great answer for why you are other than probably confidence, just being confident in the scheme, knowing where you're supposed to be, and having a history of like, well, we've done this before, like we can make these types of

plays no way. And I do think that's important, especially first three weeks of the season, a lot of new players on this defense, you're still feeling things out and you're getting these types of results. That's really I think that's really important because you already, like they should already feel confident, like, yeah, this thing works when we're on the screws, and so it can get better. Now. Do I think it's realistic to think they're gonna do eight

in three games all through the season? I mean, what's the math on that? So eight divided by three is like two and a half. So they're gonna have thirty six takeaways this year. That would be That would blow the best mark for the time that I've been here out of the water. Lot more than that. Really when you think about seventeen game schedule. Yeah, I mean I can't do math on the fly either, but yeah, it

was so much easier when it was sixteen. Then you know, at the four game mark you can just yeah, now it's yeah. So I do I think it is sustainable at this level. Probably not like there will be some

two in three game droughts. But for them to be doing it this consistently, this early, while they're still kind of getting used to everything, I think that's really encouraging, especially especially when you were to say any team in the league, Hey, our best pass rusher is going to be out, he's going to be out for a while, and in a one game our top two pass rushers are going to be out. We're gonna have to figure this out and move some people around and all that.

You know, this is why you keep the linebackers. You know that that they did, I mean, they kept the depth there. And one of those other points that we didn't talk we didn't ask Bucky about it, but one of the points that he made is it's time to give Jalen Smith his props. He's playing really well based off of expectations, but he's still he's done a nice job and he's helped. This is going to sound mean, and I really don't mean it to Jalen Smith is

a serviceable player right now. Still probably not living up to the size of that contract. Yeah, yeah, but that's okay, not probably. You're right, he's not living up to it. But for where we were a month ago, thinking like they have to cut this guy, how are we going to? Like? What are you gonna do with him? And I'm not trying to say anything bad about this guy because he's a good leader too, But I mean, you could you could argue that the law doesn't is not living up

to the contract. You can argue that because it is such a huge number. He is he is still your best player, he's your best pass rush and he does that. He does things that aren't in the stat sheet. So that's why it's kind of tricky. You can't just go off sacks with him. But I mean, twenty one million of dollars a year is a big, big number, and you know, you would have liked to see a little

bit more production too, But he does help. I think this defense, God, I want to see him with a Quinn defense and that's this could be a nasty with him. I don't even I can't judge DeMarcus for breaking his foot, you know, like, yeah, well he's not he's not giving you return on his investment. Yeah got he broke he

broke bones in his foot. He can't play. So I've rather meant last year no, sure, sure, I mean since he signed that deal, even he's been so much better than a lot of people want to give him credit for still probably not living up to that number. That's fair, but right, is Zeke? You know, well, but this is I know, I'm just My point is a lot of these players, where they get a deal, it's hard. It's

hard to do it. I don't know that you can name a lot of players around there, around even around this league that get mega deals that you think after they get the deal, oh yeah, they're living up to that because at the time, it's like they're being paid like the best player, the top player at their position, which means if they're not playing as the top player at their position, it's not in people's minds they're not

playing up to the deal. I don't want to get into the weeds on this because it's a separate conversation. I can think of a lot of guys, I mean, Miles Garrett, Aaron Donald. Like nobody's questioning why Aaron Donald's making that money. About the guy out there in Chicago. You think they're loving him right now, Like I don't know that he's doing what they would expect of a guy that's making the account of money he's made. I haven't watched Khalil Mack this year, but I just think

the Bears problems go so far beyond watching smoothly. But that doesn't matter, as we know, that doesn't matter when you're making the big money. Don't matter how the team's playing, it's are you doing something that's making me think you're the best in the league. I wouldn't make an investment and a player like that unless I had my quarterback

situation settled. I think that's the lesson that I learned there is because then you're just wasting money on guys that, like an elite defense in twenty twenty one is not enough to get you where you want to go. It's just not not. If not, if you're awful on offense, you can do it with it. Yeah, you got it. Like we've said one hundred times. You gotta start doing

you gotta do something great. And this this team, this Cowboys team has got a great offense now that that has shown, and they had it, we saw the makings of it last year. But I think what's happening where that anything is that they will they will do anything. They will play any kind of style. Those styles make fights. They talk about with boxing, they will slug it out. They'll dance around the ring all day if you want. They'll do anything you want. I'll run it up the

middle all these times, I'll run into the outside. We'll throw it fifty times. Anyway you want to play it, we'll play it that way, and we'll play it better. And honestly, I think that's the reason why the defense is what is. I think this defense, in my opinion, all they had to do is be an opportunistic defense. They don't have to be great, and I think that's what you're seeing. They're getting takeaways, and more importantly, they're

getting takeaways at opportune moments. They are stopping them in the red zone, which which which matters. I was going to say that before we kind of got derailed, is if they keep doing this, if they are reliably getting one to three takeaways a game. I think in the off season we were like, all they gotta do is

be mediocre middle of the pack. If they're doing this, they canna be twenty fifth in total defense, right And and that was the whole point I was making with that, is that the numbers will tell you that they haven't played great defense, but they're doing what they need to do for this kind of team, for this kind of offense, they's got to be opportunistic and give them as many shots at it as possible because this offense is going

to score more times than not. To go back to the offense real quick, Jason Garrett, you know, I'm not taking shots at him, but he would always say, hey, we do what we do. We do what we do, we do and they adjust and that would work if it's going really well. I think what we're seeing now is we're not doing what we do. We'll do whatever you don't want us to do, and you're whatever you're not ready for it, and we'll do that. And it's incredible.

I'm like, I felt like we came in here every Monday during the disappointing years of the Garrett era talking about that is like, oh, look at that. When you don't when you're not better across the board, that doesn't work. And the years that that worked for them, they had incredible offensive lines. And you know, fourteen they had a guy playing at an MVP level at quarterback, and in sixteen they had that year arguably the best running back

in the league, dictating the pace of the game. Um. So that's awesome when you're better across the board, but when you're not, being adaptable is a lot of fun and way better. That's that's why I go off on these tangents about Kellen Moore because it's so refreshing. Yeah, I wanted to get one more question. Yeah, I wanted to get one more quick question for you guys. On the matchup this week. We talked a little b about

Treyvon Diggle earlier with Bucky. He's leading the NFL and past defenses with six, tied for the league interceptions with three. Would you use him this week to take away more more being their best option? Would you use him in that kind of role where you travel him with him and just try to take him out of the game and force other guys to beat you think you gotta double them up. I mean, I absolutely feel comfortable with that. If he can do it against Mike Evans and Keenan Allen,

those are I mean. And I think kylie of Dj Moore, I loved him coming out of the draft. Those guys are better than he than DJ Moore. The thing that worries me about that is Robbie Anderson's a deep shot beast, and do you feel comfortable with that? But that's but yeah, I look at it and say, I would rather double him and make sure he doesn't get deep ever, like you're never gonna have You're always gonna have a guy over the top with him, and I would make sure

that that's a mainstay. And then let's say I'm gonna take away DJ Moore with my best defender. Yeah, he might make some plays, but I don't think he's gonna get off, And so to me, that's kind of your best both worlds, and then who you're gonna beat the Cowboys with? Right, You can also flip it too. You can also say I'll take him against Robbie Anderson and just shut him down if he can shut him down, and then you maybe you double team Dj Moore. I mean,

there's different ways to skin the cat. So and that's and they maybe maybe we'll do all of it. I think people lose sight of in the course of a game, you do a little bit of everything. I mean, it's just not as simple as this and this sixty five.

The reason I asked that is because I do think maybe for the first time in a very very long time, Dallas has a corner where they are actually using him like that, where they're saying, you're gonna take this guy to game A. Okay, he's been pretty good at him A okay with Treyvon Diggs having that assignment and just just Brackett Anderson and actually have the safety get over there, right, because that was the problem in New York a couple

of years ago. That was the problem in Week one two, like Anthony Brown was supposed to have safety help and it just didn't get there. So don't make that mistake. I mean, just think about what this team has that we've just talked about in the last five minutes that we haven't had adaptable play callers that do like weird and exotics, uh, teams that turn the ball over, our defense that gets turnovers, a corner, a shutdown corner that

travels with everyone, great safety help and safety depth. I mean, what's going on here right? I don't I don't know. I mean, when Donovan Wilson comes back, I don't know who the backups are going to be. Hooker, Donovan Wilson, Wilson, I don't Dona Wilson and Lee Cooker will probably be your backups to Jayron Curse. And because he even though they're all gonna play, there's there's years where those two backups would have easily started and been really good upgrades.

So safety depth, I mean, that's that's what is that It's everything it I can't I can't wrap my brain around it. I think the Jron Curse signing and what has happened here is one of the more underrated things that we haven't talked about a lot. I mean, this guy's leading the team and tackle or one off. I think he's leading the team and tackles, leading team and special teams tackles. Nobody really wanted him. Dan Quinn was like, I have a perfect role for him. They brought him in.

It's been great, and he's got swagged to him. That's I think hope that guy on the Eagle sidelines. Okay, but I mean you know that that that's like the hardest hit of the night. Was that kid the trainer or just saw that. But other I mean he's physical, you know, and he's he's got it's it's fun. Like it's weird to say about it. He was just kind of a journeyman before he got here. He's a versatile

play like he doesn't have one defined role. He might he might not even be considered a starter depending on who's available. But I think he's got some spunk to him instead of the other word that you usually say. There this too, like if you go look and I'm not hating on I'm good for you. He gets on Twitter after the games and like he'll go at people that that have something to say or got a little

Cole Beasley, he was talking. He was talking, yes, but a little bit, a little a lot of it, but not always necessarily in a negative way, Like he was just he was on Twitter yesterday and and just like, man, I love being around this team. This team's a lot of fun. And so I wasn't expecting him to be

this energetic leadership type of guy. But that seems from the outside at least like what's happening, Like I think he's making a big impact, but he does fit the moll And I think this is where you were talking about you can't really always predict how you get turnovers. I do think at some point we got to start talking about the way they constructed this team. They were very very adamant, we want long, rangy, aggressive type defensive backs,

and they went out and got him in droves. And maybe that's a part of what you're seeing right now is you got those kind of players and they're playing like that in a scheme that really fits for them to be able to be aggressive and use those long limbs to be able to get to get their hands on balls. And true, but two of the other guys that are also making plays are not gonna win any any you know, tallest man contests. You know, well, I'm talking about Kaze, I mean, but I'm talking about how

long is he? How long? Not not Jordan? Obviously Jordan is a smaller guy. But I'm talking about like that was the thing, Like Trayvon Digg isn't a big guy, he's got long arms, and so that's the thing, like you talked about, we talked about in draft day, like all these guys that are bringing in, all of them got like limbs. I don't think Casey's got a long harm. I don't know. I don't know. That's not that's a question. CAZy is an interesting outlier. He doesn't look anything like

the rest of him. But he un curses six eight right. No, but well, and I think it's not a coincidence the guy CAZy being the guy that doesn't fit the rest of this mold is the guy that played for five years with Quinn in Atlanta, four years. What every name is so like perfect ye crazy because he plays that way. He really is. I mean, he's gonna he's that guy. He reminds me of rocket Ismael in this in this way rocket Ismail every single game at the end of

the game was hurt. Hey, he might have lost it. I mean, he might be out for the game. He's got hurt. He's a little guy that got hit and and he was banged up all the time, but he was back in the next week and and and Casey's kind of that way. We've seen him banged up, but he's back in it and playing making plays. Um. He

just kind of has he just plays with reckless, you know, abandoned. Really, I think it's this secondary has been attacking opponents through the first three weeks, like making players on the ball curse to get I mean, mixing it up with the

sideline and all that type of stuff. And I don't want to say, I definitely don't want to say like any NFL player is afraid out there, but like the secondaries that we've been so used to watching have almost been passive, you know, And I like that was kind of Marinelli's idea, was like keep them in front of you,

limit the big plays will be okay. And so you just never saw that kind of attitude and aggression and just like we're gonna go take it to you, Like we haven't seen that from the Dallas secondary and Brandon cars and Byron Jones, those guys, you know, more cover guys. Stay with them and think about how they were being taught. I remember this several years ago. They were they were actually the techniques they were teaching them were not really

attacked the ball type techniques. They were more like get your hand in between the receiver's arm, try to knock the ball out. The purpose was more to break up the past than it was to go after the ball. So it also can be about how you're being taught and what you're being asked to do as a cornerback as well. All Right, apprecate you guys, jon Us. We'll be back tomorrow. We're gonna talk a little bit more about the Carolina offense. I'm sorry to Carolina defense versus

the Cowboys offense. Till then for Nick even, Dave helm and I am Derek Eelton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.